Playstation 5 Console Discussion

[Sheikah]

44 minutes ago, drahkon said:

Anybody interested in the firmware beta?
I got a code which I can apparently share with 4 others  

Yes please.

[Julius]

Well iPhone users, enjoy: the Backbone One - PlayStation Edition. 

 

[Julius]

21.7 million PS5 units have now shipped, per yesterday's quarterly report from Sony, with 2.4 million of those being in the last quarter:

Off the back of this, the forecast for units shipped for the year has been lowered to 18 million, anticipating improved shipments as supply chain woes start to ease, and the components shortage having a relatively lesser impact. I also can't help but wonder if the difficulty in tracking down and getting a PS5 for so long has created this fog around the console for some, as I'm definitely starting to notice more availability and the time it takes for stock to sell out increasing (mostly since the Horizon Forbidden West bundle launched, so maybe people just don't want that bundle?). 

Software sales took a bit of a hit, down by 26% (no doubt due to the lack of any real big hitter over the last quarter). PS Plus subs are up 2%, and monthly active PSN users are down 3%. 

The count has also officially stopped for PS4 shipments, leaving it at the count reported in May during their EoY of 117 million units. 

[Hero-of-Time]

Crazy how fast the PS4 sales fell. I miss the days when a new console would come out and the previous gen console would be sold for dirt cheap. Good times.  

[Hero-of-Time]

Quote

One of the PS5’s flagship features will be discontinued later this year as no one used it. Accolades were introduced on the new-gen console as a way of allowing players to acknowledge each other’s efforts in online games. The function enabled you to award teammates and opponents badges based on their playstyle, so you could say they were Helpful or Welcoming, for example.

But a post on the official PlayStation website notes that uptake has been low: “In fall of 2022, the Accolades feature on PS5 will no longer be supported. The feature hasn’t seen the level of usage we anticipated, so we are refocusing our efforts. We encourage the community to continue to send positive messages to one another.”

Not surprised at all. It seemed pretty pointless.

[Happenstance]

Don't think I even knew it was a thing

[Hero-of-Time]

6 minutes ago, Happenstance said:

Don't think I even knew it was a thing

That seems to be the general reaction to this news.  

[Jimbob]

They made the Accolades a bit tricky to find, which is probably why people didn't use it.

[Julius]

GamesIndustry.biz have just released an interview with Nicolas Doucet, Studio and Creative Director at Team Asobi (Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, Astro's Playroom), that's well worth a read:

Some takeaways:

• Studio is currently at 60 employees, up from 35 when they were part of Japan Studio. Fully expect to grow beyond 100 employees. 
• Their next title will be a full-blown commercial title, and their biggest to date. 
• Some of what Doucet has to say about their design ethos - their five pillars of Magic, Innovation, Playful, Universal and Quality; their desire to keep finding new ways to play resulting from new tech; and a focus on game feel being what's at the core of the idea of being a Japanese title - really sounds very Nintendo-like. I love it. Astro's Playroom was absolutely a culmination of that and was so much better for it. 
• Most employees are still working from home, but they all get together every two weeks in the office to get together in order to pass around the controller and go hands-on with what everyone has been working on. This has amusingly meant there being more office space devoted to gaming than, well, being an office! 

Can't wait to see what they've got in store for us next 

Edited August 16, 2022 by Julius

[Julius]

The DualSense Edge, seemingly PlayStation's answer to the Xbox Elite line of controllers, was just announced at Gamescom...

...and it sure looks edgy. Paddles, modular sticks, black face buttons and D-pads...and I'd assume better battery life, but we'll need to wait and see on that I guess 

No details as of yet, PlayStation seem to be sound asleep with no official teaser upload or PlayStation Blog entry (as promised by Geoff). So see you in a couple of hours for those details I guess. 

UPDATE: official video upload;

Quote

Perfect Your Gameplay™

Get an edge in gameplay by creating your own custom controls to fit your playstyle. Built with high performance and personalization in mind, the DualSense Edge"" wireless controller invites you to craft your own unique gaming experience so you can play your way.

And details from the PS Blog (no details on launch date or price):

Quote

First look at the DualSense Edge wireless controller with customizable controls, changeable stick caps, back buttons, and more.

Today, we are thrilled to unveil the DualSense Edge wireless controller for PlayStation 5, the first-ever high-performance, ultra-customizable controller developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Designed to give you an edge in gameplay by allowing you to create custom controls, the DualSense Edge wireless controller invites you to craft your own unique gaming experience tailored to your playstyle.

The DualSense Edge wireless controller features a number of hardware and software-based customization options for creating a completely personalized controller experience, including:

●       Ultra-customizable controls: You can make the DualSense Edge wireless controller uniquely yours by remapping or deactivating specific button inputs and fine-tuning your aim by adjusting stick sensitivity and dead zones (the distance your analog stick moves before it’s recognized in a game). In addition, each trigger is adjustable with options to tailor travel distance and dead zones to your preference. For example, you can manually reduce travel distance of the triggers for faster inputs in competitive FPS games or reduce the dead zone for precise throttle control in racing games.

●       Ability to save multiple control profiles: Once you’ve found your ideal control settings, you can save them to unique profiles and swap between them on the fly. With the DualSense Edge wireless controller, you’ll always have your preferred controls for your games ready to go, whether you’re facing Norse gods and monsters in God of War Ragnarök, or rival players in an online battle royale.

●       On-controller user interface: The dedicated Fn button allows you to easily adjust your setup while staying focused on the in-game action – quickly swap between your pre-set control profiles, adjust game volume and chat balance, and access the controller profile settings menu to set up and test new control iterations while in game.

●       Changeable stick caps and back buttons: Three types of swappable stick caps (standard, high dome, and low dome) help you stay comfortable in game while maintaining grip and stability. The two swappable sets of back buttons (half-dome and lever) can be configured to be any other button input, putting more essential controls at your fingertips.

●       Replaceable stick modules: Play longer with the ability to fully replace each individual stick module on the controller (replacement stick modules will be sold separately).

●       Built-in DualSense wireless controller features: The DualSense Edge wireless controller retains the signature comfort and immersive experience of the DualSense wireless controller when playing supported games, including haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, built-in microphone, motion controls, and more.

In addition to the included stick caps and back button sets, the DualSense Edge wireless controller comes with a USB Type-C braided cable, which uses a connector housing to lock into the controller so it’s much less likely to slip out at a crucial moment. The included carrying case, which keeps your DualSense Edge wireless controller and components together and organized in one place, allows you to charge the controller via USB connection while it’s stored in the case.

Daisuke Kurihara, Art Director, led the controller’s design process and shares a few insights on how it was created:

“The opportunity to create the DualSense Edge wireless controller was a dream come true for our team. We wanted to build on the legacy of iconic PlayStation controllers by creating a controller that empowers players to experiment and personalize elements based on their own unique playstyle – whether they are a competitive gamer or someone who just enjoys having more options to customize their play. The DualSense Edge wireless controller also features a number of thoughtful design touches that we hope players will enjoy, including a distinct DualSense controller-inspired black-and-white color scheme and a unique PlayStation Shapes pattern on the touch pad and trigger surfaces.

“We are thankful to the many gamers, professional esports players, and developers who helped provide feedback on the controller’s design.”

– Daisuke Kurihara, Art Director

In the months ahead, we look forward to sharing more details about the DualSense Edge wireless controller, including launch timing, and can’t wait to see how the PS5 community unlocks the full potential of the controller’s customization options.

Loving the PlayStation symbols embossed onto the touchpad! 

Edited August 23, 2022 by Julius

[Dcubed]

Am I the only one bothered by the fact that being able to replace worn out analog sticks (which you shouldn't have to do in the first place) is being touted as a premium feature here?

Talk about a band-aid solution!

[drahkon]

Incredible.
Back buttons are a game changer. 

Hope this'll be available to buy not long after CoD: MWII.

Edited August 23, 2022 by drahkon

[Ronnie]

1 hour ago, drahkon said:

Incredible.

Playstation's answer to the Xbox Elite controller, a whole seven years later?

[Sheikah]

Playstation's answer to the Xbox Elite controller, a whole seven years later?

This is actually more like an Xbox Elite Elite controller. What with the standard PS5 controller already having more features than the Xbox controller.

 

In all seriousness though, I'm not sure I'd trust buying one of these. Sony are pretty shocking when it comes to repairing controllers out of warranty, and if you blew £150 or so on this and it broke in some way where you couldn't just switch out parts you'd be livid.

[Julius]

1 hour ago, Dcubed said:

Am I the only one bothered by the fact that being able to replace worn out analog sticks (which you shouldn't have to do in the first place) is being touted as a premium feature here?

Talk about a band-aid solution!

I mean, maybe its only being touted as a premium feature because of what's become the norm with controllers today? Joy-Con drift never really got fixed, that seems to be the standard. Modularity should be the norm in controllers from my perspective for exactly this reason. 

I'd personally much rather shell out the £10 - £20 I assume these sticks sold separately are going to cost to replace them than a whole other controller, and in a way which doesn't put the structural integrity of the controller at risk because it's actually designed for the task.

Should it have been included in the standard DualSense? Maybe, I wish it was. But I think this is a nice step forwards, though unfortunately I doubt it sticks for the DualSense 2 or whatever we get with the PS6 (kind of like how back buttons were expected to be a lock-in for the DualSense because of how late the DualShock 4 got an attachment but then it just disappeared). 

1 hour ago, drahkon said:

Incredible.
Back buttons are a game changer. 

Hope this'll be available to buy not long after CoD: MWII.

Yeah, I'm excited for this too. I've never really had a chance to use back buttons before, but given the option to try them out on a premium controller? Heck yeah. 

Would love it for something like Elden Ring just to swap items on the fly, I've heard about a lot of people doing that when playing on the Steam Deck and it hypes me up. 

Weird that we didn't get a release date or price, but I've got to imagine this launches before Christmas, right? PSVR2 being announced so far out makes sense, but I think back to the PS4 Pro and how that, at least officially (I remember it leaking a lot), had a really short lead time from announcement to release, same for most of the PS5's accessories since launch too to be honest.

Being mum on the price I kind of put down to the UK's economy being forecast to go down the drain in the next few months...wahoo 

Spoiler

Get it? Down the drain? Pipes? Mario says "wahoo"? 

I'll see myself out 

18 minutes ago, Ronnie said:

Playstation's answer to the Xbox Elite controller, a whole seven years later?

PlayStation has seven years of non-console hardware to catch up on, and Xbox has seven years of software to catch up on 

All kidding aside though, better late than never! 

I've talked at length too many times to count with gaming buddies about how much it would be nice just to have the option of an Elite-style controller for PlayStation, it's one of the things I've definitely been jealous of as someone who doesn't own an Xbox. 

Just give me some juiced up battery which is good for at least double the amount of time the DualSense is and I'm 100% there  (otherwise it's only 99.8%)

[drahkon]

Not surprised the forum's dead.

[Fierce_LiNk]

[Sheikah]

10 hours ago, Fierce_LiNk said:

Who's willing to imagine how the responses might have gone should Nintendo have announced such a controller instead? You know, just for academic purposes.

[Ronnie]

8 minutes ago, Sheikah said:

Who's willing to imagine how the responses might have gone should Nintendo have announced such a controller instead? You know, just for academic purposes.

Or Xbox, seven years after PS?

[bob]

11 hours ago, drahkon said:

Not surprised the forum's dead.

Console fanboys aren't the reason forums are dead. You may be too young to remember the Console Flame Wars, but the forums were very healthy back then. In fact, it could be said that console fanboyism was the very thing that was keeping them alive.

[Ronnie]

There's fanboys everywhere. 

It's a cool controller, but "incredible" is pushing it just a tad.

[drahkon]

17 minutes ago, bob said:

Console fanboys aren't the reason forums are dead. You may be too young to remember the Console Flame Wars, but the forums were very healthy back then. In fact, it could be said that console fanboyism was the very thing that was keeping them alive.

The steady decline in activity over the years has other reasons, sure.

But I know for a fact that right now the forum sees less activity from some regulars (me included) because of the stuff we see here.

Edited August 24, 2022 by drahkon

[Julius]

13 minutes ago, bob said:

Console fanboys aren't the reason forums are dead. You may be too young to remember the Console Flame Wars, but the forums were very healthy back then. In fact, it could be said that console fanboyism was the very thing that was keeping them alive.

I wasn't around back then, so maybe I'm missing the mark here, but I think it has more of an impact now with fewer active members because it's incredibly disruptive to the flow of discussion. With more active members, people might be hurling insults at each other over different opinions, but I imagine it felt less like certain individuals or console owners were being called out. 

There's no back-and-forth really being had which warrants fanboyism here in a way it might have before. I'm all for people having their own opinions, but it's when it becomes a case of people jumping on a bandwagon of negativity that it just kills the mood for many to post, myself included. Let's be honest, it's normally a case of "You're wrong and I'm right" and just not budging, or a driveby post which doesn't really do much to further discussion but either halts it or completely redirects it towards negativity. It's not even passive aggression at this point, because it's plain for all to see which members in which threads behave this way. 

In this thread and other PlayStation threads, it happens time and time again where the conversation gets derailed. The DualSense Edge is announced seven years after the Xbox Elite line? Who gives a damn? We can all see that it's going for a similar premium controller market, but just because Xbox did it first we need to draw a comparison and say...what, exactly? That they're late? Again: who gives a damn? Some of us are excited that we're getting a premium controller line, that's where it starts and ends from our perspective, no comparison is really needed. 

I get that this is mainly a Nintendo forum, but seriously, you'd think it was an Xbox one. The irony there is that I don't think I've really seen many Xbox owners in the PlayStation threads disrupting things, and all I ever really see from PlayStation owners is what they'd like to see from Xbox and hoping that they can get to a point again where they want to invest (myself included). More perplexing is that Nintendo is in a great place now too - all three console manufacturers are, and all doing their own thing to boot! - so I don't get where the frustration comes from which is pushing some to be so negative and suck the life out of so many threads. 

I find it pretty exhausting, to be honest, and I'm not the only one; like @drahkon mentions, there's less activity from some members here (I'd include myself in that) as a result of what almost always happens in these threads. It's 2022, and we're all adults, so what happens when we get tired of posting somewhere to avoid the negativity? We post less and sometimes stop posting altogether. 

It's a real shame. 

[Fierce_LiNk]

Blows my mind a little that we don't have multiple size options for controllers, or at least a bit more variation in this area. Seems like this would be a sensible thing to have, since you have a huge variety of users using the same system, e.g. younger children, teenagers, adults, people with gigantic hands, T-Rexes, etc. A standard size, which is the one shipped, and then the option to buy additional smaller or larger controllers.

I mean, nothing like this size:

Also, everything should come with additional paddles. EVERYTHING.

[Sheikah]

5 hours ago, Ronnie said:

Or Xbox, seven years after PS?

Nobody would have said a thing, I'm betting.

 

5 hours ago, bob said:

Console fanboys aren't the reason forums are dead. You may be too young to remember the Console Flame Wars, but the forums were very healthy back then. In fact, it could be said that console fanboyism was the very thing that was keeping them alive.

Forums are mostly dead now because everything moved to Facebook/messenger and other social media. It's nothing to do with the types of chat happening, purely changing times.

Edited August 24, 2022 by Sheikah